The First Date
by SunnyCharm
Summary: Aang's being supportive, Sokka's taking charge, Suki's being helpful and Toph's trying to keep everyone on schedule, all in the name of Katara and Zuko's first date running smoothly.


**Disclaimer**: Believe me, if I owned AtLA, you'd know about it - in the form of all of this becoming canon.

**

* * *

**

Early Morning

**Kitchen of the Southern Air Temple**

'Taa-daa!'

Aang, who was still working on the finishing touches of his own fruit pie – apple, because it had always been his favourite kind, and it was always a safe bet because who didn't like apple? - bent low over the kitchen bench, straightened himself up and turned around. Sokka was proudly displaying a rather lop-sided version of a peach pie – the top of it had almost completely caved in, and Aang could see peach-juice leaking out of the pastry sides.

'Wow Sokka, that's, um, great.' Aang reached forward to give his friend a pat on the shoulder. 'You've really outdone yourself this time.'

'I know, right?' Sokka grinned. 'Hey Suki,' an auburn hair bobbed up from underneath a counter, where the Kyoshi Warrior was stacking cooking pots, 'whatcha think?'

While Sokka was preoccupied bragging to Suki – the ever-patient girlfriend – about his cooking prowess, Aang took up an airbending stance and, spreading his fingers, proceeded to slowly and carefully bend the roof of Sokka's pie upwards in an effort to make it look semi-presentable. Grimacing – _man, Monk Gyatso always made this look so easy! This is nearly impossible! _- Aang managed to complete the task just as Sokka turned around, then remembering to relax and set his face back to normal.

'You okay there?' asked Sokka, raising one eyebrow.

'Of course I'm fine, why wouldn't I be fine? I'm the Avatar, _everything's fine_.' Aang voice was high and a little too chipper.

There was a pause.

'Riiight ... Have you been drinking that chi-enhancing tea again?'

'No, of course not.'

Sokka shrugged. 'Sure, whatever. Hey, Toph,' he called out as a green-clad figure walked by the kitchen door, 'what do you think of my peach pie? Pretty awesome, huh?'

'Wow Sokka, it looks _amazing_!'

'Thanks,' gushed Sokka, 'I try my – HEY!'

'Whatever, Snoozles. Facepaint, while I'm sure sitting here watching the two chefs here bake pretty pies, I do believe that we are on a schedule and that you were needed in Katara's rooms ten minutes to help her pick out a dress to wear for the big event.'

'Oh _shoot_,' cursed Suki, 'that's what happens when these two need me to find cooking pots for them!'

'Sorry,' apologized Aang, 'we sort of got the other ones dirty.'

Suki glanced over her shoulder at the mountainous pile of dirty dishes stacked on one of the kitchen's many tables.

'You are going to clean this up, right?' she asked, sounding a little unsure. _They made all of that mess and all they've got to show are __two fruit pies?_

'Of course,' assured Sokka offhandedly, 'I figured that Aang can just waterbend them clean, easy peasy!'

'What? I never agreed to that! Waterbending is a scared art, a part of your people's culture, passed down from master to student through the centuries _and you want me to use it to wash dishes_?'

'Pretty much.'

Sighing, Toph grabbed Suki by the sleeve of her dress and dragged her out of the kitchen and down a hallway.

'Just ignore them,' she said, 'we don't have enough time to worry about dishbending over there.'

Suki laughed.

'No laughing,' ordered Toph, 'we're on a tight schedule here.'

'You enjoy abusing your power, don't you, Toph?'

'I am not Toph, I am Official Schedule-Keeper!'

**Mid-Morning**

**Katara's Room**

The door to Katara's room opened. Toph quickly shoved Suki inside and slammed the door shut behind her.

'Sorry I'm late,' said Suki, 'I was on my way here but Sokka and Aang were in the kitchen making fruit pies and they'd made a huge mess –'

Katara smiled. 'You know, you guys didn't actually have to do this. I mean, it's really sweet that Sokka and Aang offered to do the cooking for us, but –'

'No buts. Everyone wants to make your first date with Zuko a story the grandchildren will hear fifty years from now, and if that means I have to help you look absolutely gorgeous – which is always an easy job – then so be it. Now,' ordered Suki, 'you sit down.' She walked across the room, and Katara sat down on her bed. 'Where do you keep your dresses?'

'In the chest over there,' Katara pointed with her hand, 'I'll help –'

'No helping. Sit.'

'Wow,' laughed Katara a little nervously, 'now I know why they made you the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. You're so ...'

'Bossy?' Suki face comically dropped to grave seriousness, and then she laughed good-naturedly. 'Well, the way the old leader, Ning, put it: _Suki, you are the girl who never takes no for an answer. _But I suppose it means the same thing.' She walked across the room, carrying an armful of dresses, before putting them down in a pile on the bed. 'Now, which one did you have in mind?'

'Actually,' Katara reached down into the pile and pulled out a blue Water Tribe dress, 'I was thinking this one.'

'No.'

'Um, okay, how about –' Katara tugged at the edge of a nice Earth Kingdom dress that had been a gift from Toph on her fifteenth birthday. _('I know you like that sort of girly stuff, so I got my mom to pick it out for you.' _Well, it _was_ the thought that counted._) _

'No.'

'What about –?'

'No.'

'Maybe –'

'No.'

'I was thinking –'

'Nuh-uh.' Suki shook her head.

'Okay, what do you suggest?' Katara folded her arms and waited.

'I was thinking ... Ah-ha!' With an exaggerated flourish, Suki yanked a blue dress out of the pile, and spread it out over her lap. 'See? See?'

'Um, Suki, that's a ceremonial Water Tribe robe. The last time I wore it was when Chief Arnook named his successor at the Northern Water Tribe, and every nation sent representatives.'

Suki snorted. 'Of course I know that, but Zuko doesn't.'

'He doesn't?'

'Take it from someone who knows, guys are oblivious when it comes to clothes. If we take off these shoulder-thingies, take off the long sleeves, and use a different sash, it'll look great!'

Tilting her head to one side, Katara examined the dress; trying to imagine it the way Suki described it. It would look completely different from what she was used to, but most likely in a good way.

'Okay,' she said, feeling a little adventurous, 'why not?'

Suki grinned. 'That's the spirit. Now, I was thinking, for your hair –'

**Late Morning**

**Southern Air Temple Courtyard**

'Ow! My head!'

'Oh shut it Snoozles.'

'YOU shut –'

'Sokka stop turning around, I'm going to – argh!'

Thrown off balance, Aang fell off Sokka's shoulders, toppling down to the ground past their earth-pillar, missing hitting the ground only in the nick of time by hovering on an air-ball.

'That,' observed Toph from where she stood on her earth-pillar, 'could've been _very_ painful.' She clucked her tongue, and then returned to tying the paper lanterns.

'But I can heal now,' said Aang, 'so injuries are no problem for me. I'm a walking, talking first aid kit!'

'Could the first aid kit please focus?' snapped Sokka. 'We need to memorize our emergency drills! Toph – what happens if it rains?'

The young earthbender sighed, blowing her fringe out of her face. 'This is ridiculous. It's the middle of summer – what are the chances of it actually raining?'

'That's not the point. It _could_ rain. So what do we do?'

'Fine. If Sokka sees stormclouds approaching, I earthbend a giant roof over Katara and Zuko and tell Aang who uses his super waterbending powers to bend the rain away.'

'Good, good. But remember, try not to earthbend too loudly. Otherwise you might distract Katara and Zuko.'

'Sure, I'll try really hard not to make any noise while bending giant masses of earth and rock above their heads. Oh no, don't mind me.' Toph finished tying her share of the paper lanterns to the last of the courtyard pillars she had been assigned to paper-lantern-tie, and with a stamp of her foot lowered her earth-pillar to the ground.

'Hmph,' grumbled Sokka, 'I don't care what you said about these all being the same height, Aang, I'm sure Toph dibsed the smaller ones for herself.'

'Probably,' shrugged Aang, airbending himself up onto Sokka's shoulders. He raised his arms, making their earth-pillar slightly taller.

'Hey Aang, maybe you could sort of sit on the pillar, and I could pass the lanterns to you?' suggested Sokka. 'You know, like those performing monkey-bats we saw at that Fire Nation circus?'

'Hey, that's a great idea!' Aang literally flew over to the pillar, wrapping his legs around it. 'Here, pass me one of the lanters.' Sokka handed him a bright blue one, and Aang then grabbed some of the string and started to tie the lantern to it. 'Wow Sokka, this is a really good idea! We'll be finished in no time!'

'Please!' snorted Toph, 'I've been thinking about suggesting that to you guys for at least half an hour.'

'What?' shrieked Sokka, almost falling off the pillar himself, 'that would've saved us tonnes of time! Why didn't you tell us?'

'Because it was more fun the other way.'

'Argh - aaaah!'

_Smack._

'Owowowowowowoooooooow!'

There was a whoosh as Aang landed softly on the ground. 'Don't worry Sokka, you just grazed your palms. The walking, talking first aid kit is here to help!' Sokka groaned.

'Yup,' said Toph to herself as Aang bent some water out of a nearby flower vase, 'definitely more fun this way.'

**Midday**

'Okay team, are you good to go?'

Aang nodded, Toph sighed impatiently, and Suki smiled because she thought that it was cute when Sokka tried to be serious.

'Aang, I want you to go back to the courtyard and make sure that everything's in place one last time. Toph, you go and make sure that Katara and Zuko are both ready. Suki, we'll be waiting in the kitchen. Once Aang's come back and if everything's fine, we unload the fruit pies and take them to the courtyard. Is everyone clear?'

'Wait,' interrupted Aang, 'do I help you and Suki carry the fruit pies out, or just tell you that it's okay to?'

'Nope, you've done your job by then,' said Sokka, 'plus there's only two pies. Suki and I will be absolutely able to manage _on our own_.' He put extra emphasis on the last three words. Suki blushed.

'Oh please,' gagged Toph, making a beeline for the door. 'Don't scar the boy!' she yelled over her shoulder.

'Sorry, but AZULA BEAT YOU TO IT!' yelled Sokka. 'No offence, Aang.'

The young airbender shrugged. 'None taken.'

**Midday**

**The Southern Air Temple Library**

'Sparky? There's no use hiding, I know you're in there!'

Zuko looked up. 'What are you doing here?'

'Taking you to your date with Sugar Queen.'

He put the scroll he had be reading down on the ground by his side. 'Is it midday already?'

'Yup.' Toph walked into the room, roughly grabbing Zuko's arm. 'Come on, you'll be late.' She yanked him out of the room, and began pulling him down a hallway.

'Okay, listen: blood, sweat, and tears have gone into making this day perfect for you and Sweetness – well, at least the first two have. So don't mess this up.'

'Why would I –?'

'Yes, yes, I know you like Sweetness – but that isn't always enough. You're really awkward with girls and nearly always manage to say the wrong thing, so I'm giving you some pointers that Suki was meant to give you but she's a little preoccupied right now.' Toph actually stopped, and turned around to face Zuko. 'Her dress _always_ looks amazing. You like what she did with her hair. No, the slice of pie she just ate is actually a relatively small serving, and ...' Toph bit down on her lip, thinking, 'Toph is awesome.' She then turned back and continued racing down the hallway. 'Hurry up, Sparky!'

In a matter of seconds the two were standing in the courtyard. Miraculously, Aang, Sokka, and Suki had all disappeared, the table and chairs and paper lanterns were all in place, and the fruit pies were still in one piece. (Although Sokka's still looked like it could collapse any minute.)

'Go, have fun,' said Toph, pushing Zuko out into the courtyard, 'oh, and by the way, Sokka told me to tell you that if you break Katara's heart he'll break every bone in your body. Enjoy yourselves!' she said cheerfully, before walking away.

Zuko swallowed nervously, wondering if Sokka had been talking metaphorically when he said 'every bone' – as in maybe his arms and legs and a few ribs, and that was it – or if he actually meant it.

**Lunch-time**

**Small Balcony Overlooking the Courtyard**

'What's he saying?'

'I don't know, ask Toph.'

'Toph?'

'Shh,' hissed Toph, 'I can't hear with you two lovebirds yapping on all the time!'

Katara and Zuko both turned to look up at the source of the noise. Everyone froze.

'Just ...' called Sokka down to the two, '... ah ...'

'Admiring the view!' finished Aang, flashing a cheesy grin.

'Ooh, _nice save_,' whispered Toph under her breath and the group slowly backed out of the balcony, into the adjoining room.

'Did you at least manage to see whose pie was the favourite?' asked Sokka.

'They book took a slice of the apple,' answered Suki.

Aang smiled – apple was always the safest bet – and Sokka pulled a face, before asking Suki if, nobody ate the peach pie, he'd be allowed to eat it later.

**Lunch-time**

**The Courtyard**

'Were they actually _spying_ on us?' spluttered Zuko once Sokka, Suki, Toph and Aang had left the balcony.

'Didn't you hear Aang?' teased Katara, 'they were admiring the view.'

'Admiring the view my –'

Katara narrowed her eyes.

'Foot,' finished Zuko lamely.

There was a moment's silence.

'You look, ah, really pretty,' said Zuko, quickly turning red.

Katara felt herself blush. 'Thanks,' she said, 'you look ... pretty ... too. So, what do you think of the pie?'

Zuko looked down. 'That depends, because if its Sokka's I think it's going to give me food poisoning.'

Katara laughed. 'No, I snuck into the kitchen last night to see what fruit was being used, and there were peaches and apples. And Aang once told me that apple pie was always his favourite, so I figured that the apple pie,' she gestured to the slices of pie on her plate and Zuko's, 'was the one he made, therefore making it the safest to eat.'

'That and it's also the one that looks like an actual pie,' observed Zuko dryly.

Katara picked the pie up in her hands – how was she going to eat this without getting the syrup on her dress? She decided that Water Tribe food was easier, all you ate there was soup – and took a bite.

'Mmm,' she said, closing her eyes, 'this is really good.' She glanced up at Zuko, whose slice of pie remained untouched. 'Eat it, believe me, it's delicious – not at all like those really disgusting ones in Ba Sing Se where –'

'Ugh,' grimaced Zuko.

'I felt a bit sorry for Aang, though,' as she spoke, Katara wiped a piece of pastry off her chin, 'he kept going on and on about how delicious fruit pies were and –'

'- How Monk Gyatso had taught him how to make them,' continued Zuko, the corners of his mouth rising, 'when he was ten years old, but they ended up tasting like –'

'Two pieces of soggy paper with shredded fish gills in between,' finished Katara, laughing.

Tentatively, Zuko bit off a small section of the fruit pie, chewed, and swallowed.

'Very good,' he nodded, 'Aang's a good cook.'

'Well, that makes four parts of the Air Nomad culture still alive today: the Avatar, his Sky Bison, a flying lemur, and the delicious fruit pies.' Katara took another mouthful, and then glanced across the table to where Sokka's peach pie was innocently sitting on its plate. 'You know ...' she began.

Zuko saw the look on Katara's face, and quickly shook his head. 'Nope. No. Not happening.'

'But Zuko, the apple pie was really yummy! I'm sure the peach will -'

'Need I remind you that _your brother_ made this! We could be dead by morning!'

'He made it with the Avatar himself at his side – I'm sure if we were in any real, life-threatening danger from this pie a spirit would pop up and tell Aang and then he'd warn us, right?'

Zuko groaned. 'You seriously want me to answer that? No – Katara- don't –'

'Wow, this is actually really yu – ack!' Katara raised her eyebrows, and swallowed. She looked up at Zuko, and frowned. 'Don't,' she said.

'Don't what?' asked Zuko.

'Pull the I-told-you-so-face,' she retorted.

'The what?' Zuko decided to just give up. 'Anyway, what was wrong with the pie?'

'The peaches were still fuzzy.'

*

'What's happening?' asked Sokka earnestly. 'What's happening? Do they like my pie?'

'Shhh!' snapped Toph. 'I'm trying to listen here!'

It was pitch-black underground, but Toph was still able to sense vibrations through the ground.

'Okay, what's happening now?' asked Sokka.

In the dark, Toph smiled wrly. 'It appears that you forgot to de-fuzz the peaches.'

Silence. Suki elbowed Sokka in the side.

'Ow!' yelped Aang. 'What was that for?'

'Oh I'm so sorry Aang, I thought that you were Sokka!'

'It's okay.'

'Thanks.'

'Sokka?' asked Suki. 'Peaches? De-fuzzing?'

'Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to do that.'

'_Sokka!'_

'What? Aang was really busy with his own pie, I had to figure heaps of stuff out on my own! We're lucky it came out in one pieces! Who cares if I forgot to de-fuzz the peaches? Seriously, the world has bigger problems than a fuzzy peach pie and I personally think that fuzzy peaches are yum, their fuzziness is great and I really don't think that –'

'Guys, do you hear that?'

'Haha, very funny Toph.'

'Sokka, I'm not joking! Listen!'

There was the deep rumbling of thunder, and an ear-splitting crash: lightning.

'You've gotta be kidding me.' Suki's voice was disbelieving.

'Oh _come on_!' yelled Toph into the darkness, slamming her fist against the side of the earth wall.

'I was right! Ha! I was right!' crowed Sokka, obviously delighted.

'This is unbelievable,' murmured Suki, her voice drowned out by the booming of the thunder, 'right in the middle of summer ...'

Aang sighed. 'I've gotta go bend away a massive storm now, don't I?'

'Yup.'

The young Avatar sighed, and Toph began bending a tunnel so the group could go back and resurface. However, when the small group crawled out of the hole that Toph had earthbent in the meeting room, to their surprise Katara and Zuko were waiting for them.

'Oh,' said Katara, 'now that explains the giant hole in the middle of the meeting room.'

'Katara, Zuko,' coughed Sokka, 'what a surprise ... meeting you two here of all places. Tell me, did you like the pies Aang and I made?'

Katara glanced once at Zuko. 'Um, I suppose so – the peaches were kinda fuzzy though. Do I even want to know what you guys were doing there?'

'Oh wow, look at the time, gotta go feed Appa and Momo!'

'Sharpen my boomerang –'

'Find my Kyoshi fans –'

'Short-sheet Snoozle's bed.' Toph was chuckling to herself as she walked away.

Katara looked up at Zuko. 'Weirdest first date ever?'

He nodded. 'At least their hearts were in the right places.'

'Yeah, although I'm not sure about where Sokka's head has gone to.'

**Night-time**

**Sokka's Bedroom**

'So we all did a great job today. I want to congratulate everyone here on making Katara and Zuko's first date a success – '

'It didn't last half an hour –'

'Well, the unforeseen weather was a bit of a problem ...'

'Aang's at Kyoshi Island helping evacuate the villagers to get them out of the flash-flood zones!'

'Look, apart from the whole massive-flooding thing, I think that we did a pretty good job. Katara seemed happy, Zuko seemed happy, all in all I'd say that everything turned out fine.'

'Now, for the second date – it's always the most important because it means there's _interest_. Since the paper lanterns were completely destroyed in the rain, I was thinking this time we should set it up somewhere indoors so that if this happens again the tables and chairs won't get washed away ...'

* * *

**AN**: What can I say? This plot bunny - everyone planning Katara and Zuko's first date for them - jumped into my head and just wouldn't go away, no matter how nicely I asked. I've just been writing so my angst lately, I wanted to have a go at something lighter and fluffier :) So basically everyone's planning the first Zutara date - even Aang's in on the job. We'll just have to assume that they managed to remain friends. And we'll have to assume that Sokka made peace with the fact his baby sister is dating Zuko some time ago - probably by threatening to kill Zuko if he ever hurt her or something like that :)


End file.
